Q&A with Skyler Cowans

How did you learn the skills that got you to where you are today?

I started making videos when I was very young. I loved playing around with my family’s home video camera and when I was about 14, I started having fun with video editing. During high school, I developed a talk show with one of my friends that aired on the local cable TV station in my small hometown. We didn’t have many viewers and it’s pretty embarrassing to look back on now, but that was really the start of eventually becoming a full-time content creator.

In university, I studied broadcast journalism and was deeply involved in the student newscast, Elon Local News . This is where I truly learned how to report, produce, shoot, edit, and host news packages for live television and how to hit deadlines. This is where I learned how to be a “one-man-band,” as they say, and it was a critical part of my journey. Upon graduating university, I completed a fellowship program at a major media company producing viral videos for YouTube and Facebook, and this was like content creation bootcamp. I learned so much in such a short amount of time. But when I shifted my career to becoming a full-time content creator, it required me to learn a whole new set of skills, including social media strategy, entrepreneurship, leadership, and business. When you become a content creator, by default you must also become an entrepreneur, business owner, and CEO.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned in building your career and following?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned through building my career and following is the importance of investing in my leadership skills and prioritizing my well-being and energy. When I first started my career as a content creator, I did everything myself, from the shooting and editing to the producing and business. I think this is the case for most creative entrepreneurs, but there will come a point when you simply cannot do it alone anymore, and truthfully, I was a one-man-band for way too long.

Now that I’ve built a team and a community looking to me for leadership, this is a skill that I constantly need to invest in. Becoming a better leader is essential to my career and business. It’s also critical for me to take care of my well-being and my energy so I can show up as the best version of myself for my team and community, and also have the energy and stamina to continue creating my art. That means getting enough sleep and starting my day with a solid morning ritual, including movement, meditation, journalling to align my energy, and setting an intention for the day. 

Have you ever taken any courses that helped you in your career?

The Courses and continued education are so important. I’m always learning. One educational platform and community that has helped me so much is Creator Now, which is a membership platform for aspiring and career creators to connect with the mentors, community, resources, and support needed to grow their careers or become a full-time creator. It’s like film school for YouTube. I’ve been a part of several Creator Now bootcamps and I also use the platform on a regular basis to learn from top creators in the industry.